A Series of Aru Shah Oneshots

Aiden pining

"Now can we go?" Aiden raised his voice so the girls could hear him.  He wasn't sure if he could stand another minute of Rudy preening over his newest ridiculous outfit.

"Yes, yes," Aru answered, a teasing quality to her voice.

Aiden wasted no time getting into the living room, Rudy close on his heels.

"You guys look almost as good as me," his cousin said, surveying the girls. Coming from him, that was high praise.

"Thanks!" Mini said brightly--and frowned as she must have realized the truth.

Aiden glanced between his friends. Mini wore a plum sweater and skirt that matched Dee Dee's purple hue. Brynne stood confidently in a new sky-blue jacket. And Aru...

The only thing she had changed were her pants, now bright-yellow silk. But the color made her look brighter, crisper, more defined. Like she was the reincarnation of a star instead of Arjuna. She was still the girl who made Lord of the Rings references and joked with her friends. But this was a different side of her, a more mature and beautiful side.

Beautiful? When had he started thinking--

"Aren't you going to agree we look awesome?" Aru interrupted his thoughts. A challenge sparked in her eyes and he found it hard to look away.

"You look..." he started. And then his mother, eyes full of pain and betrayal, appeared in his mind's eye. His gaze slid awry. There was no way to be sure about his feelings. How could he be sure, when love had gone so terribly wrong for his mom? Aru could be different. She might be different. But there was so much he didn't know, and he didn't want to get it wrong.

"Yeah?" Aru prompted, leaning forward slightly.

Aiden took a breath and tamped down his fluttering pulse. He steadied his voice until it was flat. "Fine."

Her face closed off the tiniest bit and Aiden was immediately sorry that he'd said anything, sorry that he'd let any hope grow of something between them. But he was also sorry he'd hurt her.

Aru recovered in the next instant, marshaling everyone to the door. As Aiden stepped outside, he made a promise to himself. He would tell her how he felt when the time was right. But, he thought, looking back at her, is there ever really a right time?